Step 1: Determine the facts in the situation – obtain all of the unbiased facts possible. Clearly state the ethical issue.

 

Facts:

 

• Ugochi Wilson founded the Soccer for Youth Empowerment Tournament (SYE-T) to give vulnerable youth a voice and build their confidence to become employable and responsible adults.

 

• SYE-T engages vulnerable young people in urban city centers across the U.S. in soccer coaching and tournaments.

 

• SYE-T has been sponsored by Spikey, a major shoe manufacturer, since 2015.

 

• Spikey has recently been found to be using child labor in their Cambodian factories.

 

Ethical issue:

 

• Ugochi must decide whether to continue accepting sponsorship from Spikey, given the company’s unethical labor practices.

 

Step 2: Define the Stakeholders – those with a vested interest in the outcome

 

Stakeholders:

 

• Ugochi Wilson
• Spikey
• The vulnerable youth who participate in SYE-T
• The families of the vulnerable youth who participate in SYE-T
• The volunteer coaches of SYE-T
• The communities in which SYE-T operates
• The public

 

Step 3: Assess the motivations of the Stakeholders

 

• Ugochi Wilson: Ugochi is motivated by her desire to help vulnerable youth. She is concerned about the ethical implications of accepting sponsorship from Spikey, but she is also concerned about the impact that ending the sponsorship would have on the youth who participate in SYE-T.

 

• Spikey: Spikey is motivated by profit. The company may also be motivated by a desire to improve its public image. However, the company’s recent use of child labor suggests that it is not truly committed to ethical business practices.
• The vulnerable youth who participate in SYE-T: The vulnerable youth who participate in SYE-T are motivated by the opportunity to learn soccer skills, develop leadership skills, and connect with other youth. They may also be motivated by the chance to win the tournament and receive prizes.

• The families of the vulnerable youth who participate in SYE-T: The families of the vulnerable youth who participate in SYE-T are motivated by the opportunity for their children to learn and grow. They may also be motivated by the fact that SYE-T provides a safe and supportive environment for their children.

 

• The volunteer coaches of SYE-T: The volunteer coaches of SYE-T are motivated by their desire to help youth succeed. They may also be motivated by their love of soccer.

 

• The communities in which SYE-T operates: The communities in which SYE-T operates are motivated by the opportunity to see youth succeed. They may also be motivated by the economic benefits that SYE-T brings to the community.

 

• The public: The public is motivated by a desire to see businesses act ethically. The public may also be motivated by a desire to see youth succeed.

 

Step 4: Formulate (atleast three) alternative solutions – based on information available, using

basic ethical core values as guide

 

Alternative solution 1: Ugochi could continue accepting sponsorship from Spikey, but she could also condition the sponsorship on Spikey making changes to its labor practices. For example, Ugochi could require Spikey to stop using child labor and to provide decent working conditions for its employees.

 

Pros:

 

• SYE-T would continue to receive funding, which would allow it to continue serving vulnerable youth.

 

• Ugochi would have some leverage to pressure Spikey to change its labor practices.

 

Cons:

 

• Spikey may refuse to accept Ugochi’s conditions, in which case Ugochi would have to lose the sponsorship.

 

• Even if Spikey agrees to change its labor practices, there is no guarantee that the company will actually follow through on its promises.

Ethical principle: This solution is aligned with the ethical principle of autonomy, as it respects Spikey’s right to make its own business decisions. It is also aligned with the ethical principle of beneficence, as it seeks to improve the lives of the vulnerable youth who participate in SYE-T.

 

Alternative solution 2: Ugochi could end her sponsorship relationship with Spikey and seek funding from other sources.

 

Pros:

 

• Ugochi would not be associated with a company that uses child labor.

 

• Ugochi would be free to operate SYE-T in a way that is aligned with her own values.

 

Cons:

 

• Ugochi may have difficulty finding other sponsors who are willing to provide the same level of funding as Spikey.

 

• If Ugochi is unable to find new sponsors, SYE-T may be forced to scale down operations or shut down altogether.

 

Ethical principle: This solution is aligned with the ethical principle of nonmaleficence, as it seeks to avoid harming the vulnerable youth who participate in

Step 1: Determine the facts in the situation

 

• Jack is an American student at a youth center in Kenya.
• He was asked to help distribute gifts from an international donor organization.
• Four children were left out of the gift distribution.
• The staff members did not seem concerned about the situation.

 

Step 2: Define the problem and the stakeholders.

 

Problem: Four children did not receive gifts, and there was a lack of concern from the staff.

Stakeholders: Jack, the four children, other children, staff members, and the international donor organization.

 

Step 3: Determine and distinguish between the personal and professional motivations of the stakeholders.

 

Jack may want to ensure that all children are treated fairly and have a positive experience during his stay at the center. Professionally, he wants to maintain a good relationship with the children and possibly the donor organization.

 

The four children likely feel left out and upset. The other children might also notice and be affected.

 

The staff members may prioritize other responsibilities and may not want unnecessary trouble. The donor organization would want their gifts to be distributed appropriately.

 

Step 4: Formulate alternative solutions

 

Potential Solution 1: Jack could have a private conversation with the staff members, expressing his concern about the four children and asking if there was a misunderstanding. This solution would avoid public embarrassment.

 

Pros: Maintains a positive relationship with the staff, and avoids public confrontation.

Cons: The issue may not be resolved if the staff remains unconcerned.

 

Potential Solution 2: Jack could directly address the issue with the four children, explaining that it was not his fault they didn’t receive gifts and that he would try to rectify the situation.

 

Pros: Shows support for the affected children, and helps clear Jack’s name.

Cons: This may create tension with the staff.

 

Potential Solution 3: Jack could inform the international donor organization about the situation, emphasizing the need for improved gift distribution.

 

Pros: May ensure that future donations are distributed more fairly.

Cons: Could strain the relationship between the center and the donor organization.

 

Step 5: Seek additional assistance

 

Jack might discuss the situation with fellow students or mentors who have experience in similar contexts to get their advice.

 

Step 6: Select the best course of action

 

Jack should start with Potential Solution 1, addressing the staff privately to understand if there was any misunderstanding or miscommunication. This approach is non-confrontational and allows the staff to rectify the situation without losing face. If this doesn’t yield results, he can consider other options.

 

Step 7: List the sequence of actions to implement the solution

 

• Schedule a private meeting with the staff members involved.
• Express concern and inquire about the situation calmly and professionally.
• Share his perspective and willingness to help resolve the issue.
• Encourage a fair resolution for the four children, emphasizing that it benefits both the children and the center’s reputation.
• If necessary, involve the international donor organization, but as a last resort.
  

Overall, Jack’s goal should be to address the issue diplomatically, maintain a positive relationship with the center staff, and ensure that all children are treated fairly.

Step 1: Determine the facts in the situation – obtain all of the unbiased facts possible. Clearly state

the ethical issue.

• We need tees to promote student-led groups in the Sustainable Lehigh 2030 program
• We have a stipend of $5,000 provided by an alumnus.
• The alumnus who gave us the capital to produce the shirts will endow the project with $100,000 if the program is successful. 
• We can get follow-on capital if we achieve product-market fit with the $5k
• The capital is to be divided between 10 student groups on campus.
• There are 3 options for shirts
  • $2 shirts made in Cambodia that are made by workers above the prevailing wage in the area
  • $10 shirts produced in Los Angeles by a company that has a history of labor abuse and rights violations
  • $25 shirts produced by a company in the Lehigh Valley (Local) and can be confirmed to be ethically made

Step 2: Define the Stakeholders – those with a vested interest in the outcome

• The alumnus

• The school

• Faculty, Staff, Students

• The students in the project

• The Office of Sustainability (Or whatever it is called)

• The environment

• T-Shirt Companies 

Step 3: Assess the motivations of the Stakeholders

• The alumnus

• • • To protect the environment by promoting a sustainability program for students
    • To promote their alum as a champion of sustainability
    • Ego?

• The school – Faculty, Staff, Students

• • • Prestige by championing sustainability as a higher education institution
    • Promote student interaction with the projects
    • Create enthusiasm and excitement around the projects
    • To create a sustainable environment 

• The students in the project

• • • To promote their projects by creating tee shirt designs to be distributed
    • To create a project that they will be proud to be a part of
    • To create a sustainable environment for their school and potentially beyond

• The Office of Sustainability

• • • To promote student-led initiatives
    • To promote the university’s initiatives and provide the three “bottom lines” for the sake of the school
    • Maybe the environment? 

• T-Shirt Companies

• • • The one you chose will be a primary stakeholder, as well as their workers
    • The one you don’t chose will be a secondary stakeholder 

Step 4: Formulate (at least three) alternative solutions – based on the information available, using

Basic ethical core values as a guide

Option 1: “The first option is to procure $2 T-shirts made in a certified garment factory in Cambodia that pays workers above the prevailing local wage” 

• Ethical Principle or code: 

• • • We’ve determined that this falls under the virtue framework. We are taking this person’s money and not honoring his wishes which is unethical. 

• Pros

• • • Feeding into the economy of a third-world country that is more affected by the money we spend on these T-shirts.
    • There’s a low cost of production and the possibility of higher unit production
    • Positively impacting the wages of Cambodian workers

• Cons

• • This is considered fast fashion and probably produces a lot of waste.
  • Goes against the donor’s wishes to have the T-shirts sourced from the USA
  • Working conditions are not known

 

Option 2: “The second option is to procure $10 T-shirts made at a garment factory in Los

Angeles, where the vast majority of the employees are undocumented immigrants and wage violations and abuse are rife” 

• Ethical Principle or code

• • • Ethical principles behind immigrant workers. Is it good to support this even though they are getting treated bad, yet have no other option.

• Pros

• Aligns with the donor’s wishes of US sourced T-shirts

• Good middle ground if you need $500 shirts

• Cons

1. Potential legal repercussions with employment laws.
2. The state of the workers (wage violations and abuse) somehow conflicts with the values the project claims to promote.

 

Option 3: “The third option is to procure the $25 t-shirts made at a garment factory in the Lehigh Valley and promote local business and sustainability through the promotion itself.”

• Ethical Principle or code

• • • This seems like the most sustainable way to go just because it is coming from our local economy.

• Pros

• • • Actually, promote sustainability through promotion
    • Have the opportunity to have students consider the ethical choices behind their own clothes
    • Promote the event
    • Aligns with the donor’s wish to have the shirts produced in the U.S.

• Cons

• • Not as many shirts
  • ‘Less’ potential promotion for the sustainability projects

 

Step 5: Seek additional assistance, as appropriate – engineering codes of ethics, previous cases,

peers, reliance on personal experience, inner reflection

 

Step 6: Select the best course of action – that which satisfies the highest core ethical values.

Explain reasoning and justify. Discuss your stance vis-a-vis other approaches discussed in the class.

• Option 3 champions the ideals and implicit ethical values associated with our role as the Director of Sustainable Lehigh 2030. We can use the ethical dilemma we are placed in to create intrigue about the project: the limited amount of shirts is part of the campaign to promote and elevate these shirts. Satisfies the most amount of stakeholders without interfering with our personal obligation to sustainability that we hopefully have.

 

Step 7: (If applicable) What are the implications of your solution on the venture. Explain the

impact of your proposed solution on the venture’s technology, economic, social and environmental

Aspects.

• Less shirts produced implicitly means there is less promotion. However, by promoting the event using the lower availability of the shirts, we can create interest outside of the projects and then use them to bring awareness to the issues. 

 

While trying to develop a low-cost syringe for the developing world context, you (the designer) hit a crossroads. Constructing the syringe to auto-disable after a single use, an important safety feature, significantly adds to the cost of the design – making it potentially unaffordable for some hospitals and clinics. However, if you don’t add the safety feature, you are enabling the potential for the spread of disease. How do you as a designer proceed?

 

Step 1: Determine the facts in the situation

• We have a product that has the ability to reduce illnesses in a population outside of our own
• Syringe is designed to be ‘low cost’
• We are the will of regulatory agencies

Step 2: Define the Stakeholders

• Hospitals
  • To heal patients (see ethical code for medical professionals as guidance)
• Clinics
  • Same as hospital
• Government
  • To maintain a certain quality and standard for products made and prevent malpractice/manipulation
• Production Company
  • Money
• Investors
  • Money
• Other developers
  • To create an effective product

Step 3: Assess the motivations of the Stakeholders

• Investors- to make profits
• Hospitals- to serve patients and help them get better
• Production Company- producing effective products
• Clinics- to deliver the designed products to patients
• Government- to ensure products are safe to use for the people
• Other developers

 

Step 4: Formulate (at least three) alternative solutions

1.  Create components of the product that are recyclable and only replace the point of contact for transmission
2.  Write on the syringe DO NOT USE AGAIN in big words that it covers the whole syringe or other visible indicators and a locking mechanism.
3. Adding the safety feature and releasing the product at reduced or no cost to distributors

 to sell innovative products to ‘developing’ nations for profit is an act of capitalist imperialism; the production company, as a pharmaceutical company ostensibly has more than enough capital to maintain business and produce the product simultaneously. Increasing the cost of the product for the sake of products is morally wrong.

 

Step 5: Seek additional assistance, as appropriate

1. Apply for federal grants to subsidize the cost of the safe to use syringes.
2. Give a bunch of Lehigh students an impact fellowship project to figure out an alternative to it.

 

Step 6: Select the best course of action

1. The best course of action in this case is to go the ethical way. We believe that the pharmaceutical industry is often corrupt and if the idea is to help these people out, we want to get this solution to them promptly without charging them more. We believe the ends justify the means and are confident it will pay off.

Step 7: (If applicable) What are the implications of your solution on the venture.

1. This might lead the venture to not become successful, it will require a lot of consulting to eventually understand the benefits/challenges we’ll come across.